My Only Savior
by Wildgirl404
Summary: Asuna was thrown out by her own family and given up on without a care, for years no one gave a crap about her as she continued to drown in her own sickness. That all changed one day when a gray eyed and blacked haired stranger rescued her and showed his determination to save her from alcoholism. But he's just as broken too, can they save each other? AU
1. The Concerned Stranger

**A/N: Okay for those of you who may be reading my other stories, so sorry I'm super behind and I need to update soon, I know but I'm hitting some writers block with those two at the moment, I promise I will update and won't leave you forever hanging, ****but alas I received a OTP prompt from my friend and just couldn't resist writing to it...for those who haven't read my stories, don't worry about a thing I just said XD anyway to all, ENJOY.**

Chapter 1: The Concerned Stranger

Asuna lived alone. She had a family, a very top of the line rich family...but they had long since given up on her. Resorting to getting rid of her; they pushed her away supplying her with money from afar and making a point to have nothing else to do with her. So Asuna lived alone in what used to be a very nice apartment, of course by this point she had all but trashed the place.

After all drinking does things to a person and the way they live.

But perhaps the most strangest of occurrences to ever happen to her was not the trashy state of her lonely life or how she lived...No, the strangest thing was that after all the people who were supposed to support her through thick and thin were so willing to give up on her without much effort or care at all, a gray eyed and black haired young man has somehow managed to wedge his way in her life in just the week she has now known him. She was astounded by such a thing because in just seven days he has expressed more patience, care, and determination to pull her back on the right track and be there for her than anyone has expressed in her whole life. Not her parents, not her brother, not her supposed friends, how sad that a stranger was the one to want to help her and be there for her instead.

How sad.

The sound of knocking on the door filled the quiet apartment as the young woman of just 24 sluggishly turned her head to the direction of the door, she was so wasted it was a miracle she was awake really.

"Asuna?" a quiet voiced called from the other side of the door.

Asuna giggled at the sweet and sincere concern she could hear in just him calling her name…It made her want to stop, it made her sick with herself. She wrinkled her noise in disgust as she looked around herself; it was almost like she sat on a throne made of vodka bottles, the entire apartment reeking of vomit, sweat, and alcohol. She wanted to stop so badly.

But she just couldn't. It was like a disease, it was a disease, and the cure could only be found in one's self…a place within that not all people had the will power to reach. The fact of the matter was simple:

She

Just

Couldn't

Stop

"Asuna, I know you're in there…Please open the door." He called again; his voice was laced with worry.

Oh that's right, she was supposed to meet up with him for a late lunch today…Asuna turned her head to the digital clock on the wall, the numbers blurred and danced about her vision as she squinted her eyes to try and make out the time.

6:50 pm

Ah, she was supposed to meet up with him at 5:00 pm…he probably had a panic attack when she didn't show up.

Asuna was no fool, she knew the reason he wanted to meet up with her was to insure her health, he wanted to make sure she was ok. She giggled again; he truly is a sweet man. She thought to herself as the memory of how she met him danced across her mind again…

How embarrassing

But then again her drinking habit has landed her in so many humiliating situations by now she couldn't really be too bothered, she shouldn't be bothered, her own family kicked her out for that very reason so she was used to such a feeling…

So why was she bothered?

The more she thought back to the night the more she came to one conclusion…There is just something about him.

**…**

_Some men made wolf calls as she stumbled across the loud and hectic bar clearly wasted beyond comprehension, she knew they were for her and she hated it. The bar owner had told her no more drinks as she had had enough to drink. She hated that too, in her opinion she couldn't get wasted enough. She needed to drink more._

_A suffocating feeling squeezed in her abdomen; there it was again the pain of self-hate, loneliness, depression, or something like that anyway. To tell the truth she never could really put a finger on what exactly the feeling was, just that it made her feel horrible and she needed it to go away. _

_At first drinking had helped to numb it, it was why she started in the first place, but now it only seemed to feed it more._

_And_

_She _

_Still_

_Couldn't_

_Stop_

"_Hey baby, want to come home with me? I'm thinking you and I could have loads of fun yeah?" A man to her left smiled in a way that would make the average woman feel sick, his face too blurry in her eyes to make out for a couple seconds._

_She wanted to say no but her mouth was heavy and refused to work right, and her throat was so dry it felt like someone had shoved sandpaper down it. When he didn't get an immediate reply he took that as a yes as he took hold of her arm and started to lead her towards the exit. Asuna started tugging her arm away but she was so weak from the alcohol it was hardly noticeable. No one would notice as she was dragged off and used as a sex toy for this man, taken advantage by such a disgusting creature…it made her stomach drop and do a somersault. _

_'Somebody help me.'_

_She wanted to cry out but even if she did would someone answer? No probably not, no one ever answers…she was alone and that was how it's always been and always will be._

"_Hey bastard can't you see she doesn't want to go with you? Let her go." Someone near the bar said._

_The effect was immediate. The entire room seemed to become quiet waiting with bated breath to see what was to happen._

_Someone…was helping someone like her? Wasn't she not worth anyone's time? Wasn't she not worth saving?_

_Asuna's head began spinning as she swayed from where she stood, the only reason she was still standing was because the creeps vice like grip on her arm was holding her up._

"_Oh? She doesn't seem to mind all the much."_

_She minded very much. Asuna frowned as she tugged on her arm again, this time it was at least a little more noticeable…especially when every one's eyes were on them._

"_Don't wanna~" she finally mumbled, the words slurred and barely coherent. But the message was received._

_In an instant she felt the grip on her arm pried off and someone pulling her away gently._

"_Just what do you think you're doing?!" The man hollered in pure anger._

"_He's preventing a sick bastard from taking advantage of a defenseless girl because she's drunk; now get your ass out of my bar before I call the cops on you." A commanding tone could be heard from a very large, muscular, and intimidating man from behind the bar towards the back._

_Knowing he had lost the creep huffed before turning on his heel and practically stomped out the door, swinging it shut with a loud bang._

_Silence followed._

"_Are you alright?" the person holding her asked sweetly with all the concern in the world laced in his voice, Asuna was frozen…It had been so long since anyone had talked to her like that._

"_T-thank…you~" she somehow managed out._

_She stumbled for a moment as she shifted to face her savior, she felt him lightly grab hold of both her forearms and pull them towards his own chest to steady her._

_Oh lord…she thought as she nearly swooned right then and there._

_He was not only sweet but very much so handsome, his gray eyes boring into her very soul with a concern that she thought didn't exist for the likes of her._

_It was interesting that he had such an effect on her, since it had been so long since she allowed anyone to have an effect on her at all, especially after such an experience as a creep almost whisking her away to take advantage of her and who knows what else really._

"_Thanks for the help Agil." The young man spoke to the barkeep who nodded in return._

"_I don't take kindly to people like that hanging around my bar; I only wish I had spotted it sooner." Agil responded. The young man nodded in response before turning his attention elsewhere._

"_Sorry Klein I believe I'm going to leave early, I want to make sure this girl gets home safely…can you find someone else to drive you home?" Her savior continued as he faced the direction of someone else at the end of the bar still holding her to insure she does not fall._

_A man with reddish hair and a bandana tied around his head smiled "Yeah I already figured, you have a habit of playing hero, Kirito." He chuckled, "Don't worry about the ride thing…I'll just make Agil give me a lift." Agil turned and scowled at Klein for being volunteered as chaperon but said nothing else otherwise. Klein just grinned like nothing happened, "See you later man!" He called before turning to Agil and demanding another drink._

_Kirito_

_Is that his name?_

_Kirito nodded before turning back to Asuna._

"_Where do you live?"_

_Asuna looked at him for a moment before mumbling out her address quietly enough that only he would hear._

_He nodded his head to show he heard her as he guided her out of the bar and to his car, being the gentlemen she had by this point gathered he is; he opened the door for her and made sure she was settled in comfortably before closing it and making his way over to his side._

"_What's your name?" he inquired as he drove them down the street._

"_Asuna~" she responded._

"_Asuna you shouldn't go to bars and drink like that alone, it's very dangerous."_

_The girl almost chuckled at his concern; after all such a thing was nearly foreign to her these days. She was being scolded by a stranger…how funny._

"_Your name is Kirito right?~" she slurred_

"_That's actually a nickname, my real name is Kazuto" He responded, personally she liked Kirito better so she decided she would stick with that instead._

"_Oh, nice to meet you Kirito~" _

_Kirito raised an eyebrow at her for a moment before smiling kindly, "Nice to meet you as well Asuna."_

_A comfortable silence filled the car the rest of the way back to her apartment._

**…**

She still remembered the look of horror on his face when he saw the wreck of her apartment like it was yesterday. She hated that moment because she had felt so disappointed in her existence. She knew he had put two and two together when he had turned to look at her with concern and fear for her wellbeing.

It wasn't all too hard to figure out. An eight year old could piece such an obvious fact together.

She

Is

An

Alcoholic

"Asuna?" he called again from the door, bringing her back to the present moment as she sighed before dragging herself slowly to her feet.

She opened the door and he rushed forward to confirm she's alright, once he was sure that she was ok he looked around at the mess. "You're drunk again…" he mumbled as he laid a hand gently on her cheek with a sad look on his face.

Was he surprised? He shouldn't be.

Sighing, he led her to her bed and helped tuck her in, Asuna passed out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

**…**

It was the pounding in her head that woke her up, the common and by now well-known sign of a horrible hangover. She groaned as she clutched her head to block the early morning light leaking through the window. Wiping away the sweat on her brow with the back of her hand she paused as a wave of nausea passed over her. After the nausea passed she dragged herself out of bed and looked around only to be stunned at how clean her apartment suddenly seemed, the very air smelled clean even…

After recovering from her momentary shock she stumbled out of her room and slowly made her way towards the kitchen in hunt of something to sooth the aftermath of her drinking…preferably more alcohol.

Instead she found another shock at her little dinner table that used to be practically buried under old empty bottles of alcohol.

Kirito sat in the chair with his head buried in his arms passed out; looking around the room she realized he must have been cleaning late into the night.

She groaned as her head throbbed particularly badly again and leaned against the door way, Kirito stirred awake at the sound peering up over his arms with bleary eyes. Catching sight of Asuna, who looked an absolute mess; he was up and heading over to support her in an instant.

Pulling one of her arms over his shoulder and holding on to her hip to further support her he guided her over to the couch and helped her sit down on it gently before lifting her legs and adjusting her so she was comfortably lying on the couch instead. The girl looked up at him for a moment before groaning again as the nearby window let in sunlight to hit her in the eyes causing a stabbing pain in her head.

Kirito turned on his heel and closed the curtains receiving a sigh of relief from the girl on the couch.

Making his way over to the kitchen he came back with an aspirin and glass of water, after helping her take it he returned back to the kitchen. Only a moment later he returned again with a damp wash cloth and a bowl of water. He knelt down to gently wipe away some of the sweat on her face and arms before dipping the cloth back into the water and wringing it out. Asuna sighed as the cool cloth settled on her forehead and reached up to pull it down to cover her eyes just a little more.

Suddenly another wave of nausea rushed over her far worse than the last and she covered her mouth as she started gagging, trying hard not to vomit right then and there. She heard the sound of Kirito rushing off and back before she felt a hand take away the cloth and help lift her up into a sitting position, the small trash can from her bathroom suddenly placed in her hands. She clung to it for dear life as she heaved and emptied what little contents that were left in her stomach into it. She was vaguely aware of her hair being held back and the gentle rubbing on her upper back as she continued to dry heave or the feel of the cool cloth wiping away her mouth and face after she was finished.

A glass of water was held to her mouth and gratefully she took a sip before settling back down on the couch.

She was unconscious again before she knew it.

**…**

When she awoke next her head was still throbbing but the pain was bearable, the alcohol induced fog over her mind seemed to have mostly lifted as she could now think clearly for the moment. Turning her head she took in her surroundings. On the sofa chair nearby she found Kirito sitting there curled up as he silently read. She continued to stare at him (or maybe she was admiring him) for a long moment without him realizing, taking in the way the dull light of the candle he had sitting on the table nearby cast a warm glow across his face or the way his eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly in concentration as those big onyx eyes of his worked their way across the page and onto the next or even how he chewed the corner of his lip as he got into the book even more.

"Asuna?"

Asuna jolted as she realized he was now peering up over the top of the book and directly at her, the horrifying realization that he had just caught her staring at him made her whole face light up in a deep blush.

The feel of a hand on her forehead jolted her back to reality again in an instant.

"You feel a little warm, let me get-"

"No no, I'm fine!" Asuna cut him off flustered

"Are you sure?" he said as he removed his hand from her forehead and looked at her with that concern that she was starting to get used to…yet her stomach fluttered with butterflies every time at the fact that he cared that much for someone like her.

"Absolutely, I am perfectly fine." She confirmed pulling on a more composed expression. Her head throbbed again and she grimaced, Kirito raised an eyebrow at her as if to say 'Oh really?'

"Um…maybe some aspirin would be nice…" she mumbled clearly embarrassed

Kirito just chuckled before heading off to the kitchen to get her just that.

"Thank you.." she mumbled after he had returned and she had took it, she looked at him for a long moment after, much longer than necessary.

"What?" he asked tilting his head almost cutely as he became ever so slightly confused at the stare down.

'Why is he here?' 'Why is he wasting his time with me' 'Why is he so kind?'

The many thoughts suddenly intruding upon the poor girls mind whirled around her head, tearing at her emotions.

Emotions that she thought she had long since buried years ago.

"Why?" Asuna suddenly asked before she could stop her self, her voice cracked in built up grief as she started to cry.

_Why do you care so much about me? Aren't you going to give up and leave me too?_

At first Kirito was just shocked but he quickly snapped out of this, sitting down next to her he pulled her in to his arms. She clung to him like a lifeline and buried her face in his shirt as she began to cry even harder.

Years' worth of loneliness, of being forgotten, of hating herself…

Of

No

One

Ever

Being

There

For

Her

It was all pouring out of her eyes now.

Because for once in her entire life there was someone there for her, and it felt so good. Like a hole had been filled.

"Don't leave me, please don't leave me." She started to say over and over again as she felt him hold her close, felt his grip on her tighten and pull her even closer with her words.

He could only think of how mistreated this girl in his arms had been... Who was the fool to leave her to deal with this alone? She reminded him of someone...

"I won't." he said tears of his own streaming down his face.

Two words

Two words that meant the entire world to a lonely and forgotten girl, one that the world forgot about for much too long…and so she cried and clung to the first person to ever care about her, the person who had her wrapped so safely and securely in their arms as if to chase away all the pain.

Only one thought kept repeating in her mind like a mantra:

_I'm not alone anymore._

And she really wasn't.

**A/N: So I'm not sure if I will leave that be or have more chapters, so write a review and tell me what to think cuz that's always helpful...anyway thanks for reading :)**


	2. Disappointed

**A/N: ok so here it is! Ta Da~ chapter two! I hope I don't disappoint and that you all enjoy it!**

Chapter 2: Disappointed

**…**

Asuna was disappointed in herself.

There really was no other way to put it.

Disappointed…

She tilted her head to the side as if she were confused about something as she contemplated the, in her opinion, strange emotion.

'The emotion disappointment…' the words dragged slowly across her sluggish mind, 'What a funny thing.' She continued almost letting out a giggle to accompany the supposed humor it held. To her it was just a feeling always meant with good intentions but often yielded more negative results than anything positive.

It makes people feel all the more like a boat load of crap.

Leaning back in the sofa chair she stared up at the ceiling to watch the fan go round and round as her thoughts continued to do what they please.

'People don't handle feeling like crap very well' she mused, 'they just get desperate and do more things to make themselves feel better…even if it's only a temporary fix.'

Yeah a very temporary fix…like the bottle sitting in her hand.

'Even if the thing that makes them feel better is wrong.' Her thoughts continued as she narrowed her eyes at it but made no move to discard it or the liquid that lay inside.

'Even if that fix is a part of the problem…'

_Her fix was the problem._

'What a vicious cycle.' Asuna finished to herself as she took yet another mouthful of alcohol down her throat.

One week ago Asuna finally found someone to give a crap about her, and keeping to his promise he did not leave her, instead he brought her to stay at his home so he could properly take care of her.

He might have just stuck with the visiting everyday schedule he already had going…but well.. she wouldn't let him leave.

Yet her home was such a gloomy mess that on further contemplation his house became without doubt; the winner.

"_A new environment will do you some good I think." _he had said all those few days ago and Asuna couldn't have been happier with the idea. She was tired of the place anyway.

And so despite the awkwardness here she sat happily on his couch secretly drinking while he was out buying groceries…

Hence disappointed in herself.

She had told herself she was only going to take a sip because well…even a blind man would be able to tell if she was drunk from a mile away.

Two words: Bad Idea.

"_Alcoholism is like a bottomless bottle; it never ends with just one sip."_

Hmm…where had she heard that from? She wracked her brains for the answer before settling for the first guess to come to mind.

She concluded that she probably saw it from one of those A.A. meeting pamphlets Kirito gave her earlier in the week.

'Sounds about right.' she confirmed to herself as she took the last sip of the alcohol left before frowning at the empty bottle in her hands. Getting her alcohol was harder now, what with Kirito looking after her, but she had her ways.

'Addiction does funny things to your motivation' she mused again as she hide the bottle behind a pillow…not her best hiding place but of course she wasn't at her finest overall so it would have to do.

'Really I wouldn't stop trying to feed my addiction if the world was ending' the truth of the matter was a simple as stating the word "addicted", such a serious word and yet everyone takes it so lightly. It's not something you can just stop.

"_Why won't you just stop?!" _

Addiction

"_What's wrong with you?!"_

Addiction

"_If you don't stop I'm leaving!"_

Please don't, I can't stop, you'll just make it worse

"_I hate you!"_

Asuna frowned getting up only to stumble across the room, she paused as she caught sight of herself in one of the windows reflection. She just stood there, staring at herself in disgust as the time just seemed to tick away.

_I hate myself_

That feeling of self-loathing only got worse as she thought about all that Kirito has been doing for her, the guilt was killing her on the inside…

Here was a nice person giving his all to help her and she was sneaking behind his back getting wasted. Well maybe sneaking was an inaccurate word to pick in such a situation; seeing as he always finds out if she has drunk any alcohol or not. It's not really all too hard to find out though…seeing as drinking for Asuna means to get blatantly drunk.

But having a person care about you doesn't make an illness go away with a snap of the finger; it just adds a little motivation. But motivation could only get you so far.

"Asuna I'm back!" Kirito's voice rang throughout the room as he walked down the small entry hall.

Cue panic.

It was so obvious she had drunk and she knew it, so as a last minute measure to save her butt she dived onto the couch and pulled the blanket hanging off the back over herself. Pretending to be asleep was the best plan she could come up with as she turned her head towards the back of the couch so her face was hidden from view.

She heard him step in to the room and pause for a moment before making his way over to her, "Asuna?" he called softly as he crouched down beside her. When he got no response sighed before pulling the blanket that currently only rested just around her waist line (since that's as far as she could get it before he came in) up to her shoulder .

Her plan would have worked so perfectly if not for the fact that when she jumped onto the couch she knocked over the pillow and the bottle it was hiding to the ground. And hey maybe Kirito wouldn't have noticed if he hadn't tripped on it when he was moving to walk away.

There was a tense silence after his crash to the floor as he sat up before reaching over and picking up the object that tripped him. He stared long and hard at the bottle now resting in his hands before slowing turning his eyes to the girl 'sleeping' on his couch.

"Asuna."

Asuna squeaked at the sound of his voice because there it was; a big fat heavy dose of disappointment.

"You're not asleep are you?" It wasn't really much of a question; in fact it was pretty much rhetorical.

She answered none the less though.

"No…" she mumbled out quietly as she silently waited for him to get angry. It's what everyone else always did.

However much to her surprise nothing else was said as he got up and left the room to start making dinner.

**…**

"_Papa don't forget!" The little eight year old boy called as he practically bounced around the middle aged man in excitement._

_The man laughed as he leant down to ruffle his hair, "I know I know, we're going to see that movie when I get back from work!" he said as he smiled._

_The boy nodded with excitement as his dad laughed again, opening the door he turned back to his son with a mock look of seriousness, "Don't give your mom any trouble, Kazuto." He called._

_The boy merely pouted for a moment before answering, "I won't!" he declared with a dramatic stomp of the foot._

_The man laughed as he closed the door behind him._

…_Kirito never got to go to that movie._

**…**

"Kirito?" Asuna called hesitantly, if only a little slurred.

The young man jolted back to reality, as he put the knife he was peeling a potato with down, not turning to face the girl he silently waited for her to continue.

"Are you mad at me?" she spoke her voice trembling like she was about to start crying.

There was silence as he seemed to contemplate the answer to that question as he turned to look Asuna in the eyes.

She looked so sad and scared.

He sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that day, "No, not really… It wouldn't really be fair of me to be." He answered quietly as she stared at him shocked before she really did start to cry.

"I'm so sorry!" she cried.

His eyes widened before he shook his head at her, "Don't apologize; this isn't something you fix overnight. It takes time and you're going to make mistakes." He said softly as he pulled her into his arms for comfort, "But Asuna I need you to be one hundred percent honest with me, Ok?"

She nodded as she buried her face in his chest.

They stayed like that for a long moment before he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall behind her.

"Why don't you go lie down, I'll wake you up when dinner's ready." he started breaking the silence.

Asuna just nodded before pulling away from his embrace, they both stared at each other for another long moment before she smiled, "Thank you Kirito." Was all she said as she turned and made her way to her new bedroom slowly.

Kirito allowed himself one small smile before turning back to preparing dinner.

**…**

"_We're very sorry for your loss."_

"_He was a good man."_

"_Will you be ok?"_

"_I truly am sorry, if you ever need anything; give me a call."_

_Why were all these strangers apologizing to him and his mom, why was she crying, why was dad sleeping in a weird box in the front of the room? _

_Little Kazuto didn't understand._

_His mother leaned down and scooped him up from him place in a chair and held him close like a life line as she cried harder, while someone continued to make some speech he didn't understand about his dad._

_What's going on?_

"_Mommy why won't dad wake up?" the little boy asked confusion evident in his voice._

_He didn't understand._

_She didn't answer, but instead she just cried harder. _

_Clung to him harder._

"_I'm so sorry baby, well make it through this." She managed to say in between sobs._

_Make it through what?_

_Confusion turned to desperation and fear though when they closed the box on his dad._

_It turned to terror as they lowered it in the ground._

"_What are you doing?! You'll hurt papa!"_

_People seemed to freeze for a moment, before they started acting stranger._

_Those who were crying, cried harder._

_Those who were only teary eyed, started to cry._

_Many wouldn't look the boy in the eye._

_No one wanted to be the one to answer._

"_Papa! Papa! WAKE UP!" he started screaming as he made a move to start running to his father's aid when no one answered. But for reasons he didn't understand his mother stopped him._

"_Mama! Let go! I have to save papa!" he continued to scream as he tried to wiggle out of her grasp._

"_Kazuto, Kazuto! Stop!" She yelled, and stop he did. _

_He just stared at her in shock, his mama never yelled at him…never._

"_Papa's going to sleep honey, and he isn't going to wake up."_

**…**

It was later when he was old enough to understand that he learned his father was killed in a car accident on the way home…

Hit by a drunk driver.

**…**

**A/N: Ok well I tried, I hope you guys liked it, and sorry guys that it's so short but it's hard to write this crap. I will work to make my future chapters at least 2000 words or more each so… I almost made it.**

**I know in the cannon Kirito can't cook to save his life but this is an AU and well he's a grown man living alone until Asuna moved in. I think he would have learned enough to get by by now. Anyway please tell me what you think! REVIEW PLZ**

**Also I've been wondering but do you guys think I should change the rating to M? because I'm not sure...**

**Till next chapter~**


	3. Hate Parties

**A/N: Ok again I'm super slow updating here…sorry…it happens…anyway I hope you enjoy this and thank you so much to all the wonderful people who have reviewed, favorite, or followed this story! Love you all! In advance: sorry the chapter is so short.**

**For those who are unaware: A.A. stands for Alcoholics Anonymous; it's basically a therapeutic group session where alcoholics can go to talk and support each other. **

Chapter 3: Hate Parties

Kirito sighed as he stared pensively at a piece of paper set before him on the kitchen island. He frowned, he already said he wouldn't go…though they never really were good at understanding what no means, or at least that's how it seems to him.

He understands they are worried for him and how he's fairing in life, they worry even more since he isn't in a relationship. That in itself is, in Kirito's opinion, incredibly stupid. He's just not interested in having a relationship right now; this does _not_ mean he's a social hermit.

Besides at the current moment he's busy trying to help someone recover from alcoholism.

The fact that a girl has been staying in his guest room for a month now is of course not a well-known fact…and he's trying very hard to keep it that way. Mainly because he fears the ridiculously suggestive comments and jokes his insane family will make on the matter…He tries not to think about how mentally unstable his family is, he really does. But alas they always find room to wiggle right back into his head.

The sneaky bastards.

"Kirito?" Asuna called from behind him as she walked up to try to read over his shoulder, she didn't get that far though as Kirito immediately folded the letter up and stowed it away in his jacket.

"What was that?" she asked eyeing him with suspicion.

Asuna has been doing better of late, not by much but for the past two weeks she's been able to pull off a day or two here and there where she can avoid drinking. In the end she always ends up drunk again but the fact that she's making effort and is gradually gaining moments in which she can function soberly is a vast improvement from the previously constant drinking.

Today just so happens to be one of those sober days, much to Kirito's relief.

He hates seeing her so sickly.

He attributes this improvement to the fact that three weeks ago he finally talked her into going to an A.A. meeting once a week. Surprisingly it wasn't as hard as he had previously predicted, but he quickly discovered this was because Asuna wants to get better.

He couldn't be happier with that fact, after all that means Asuna acknowledges that it's a problem, and that she has motivation to work on it. That's more than he ever got with…

Kirito shook his head to clear the thought away before he got any further; this was no time to start thinking about that.

"It's just a stupid letter from my family, that's all." He states calmly as he turns to meet Asuna's gaze with a smile. "How are you feeling today?" he asks in genuine concern.

Asuna smiles, there hasn't been a day this month where he hasn't asked that in some way or form. That might be annoying if not for the fact that every time he asks he really cares about the answer, or maybe it has something to do with the fact that no one else ever cared to ask her before.

"I'm doing ok today." She answered simply, and he rewards her with a smile of his own. Asuna calls it a reward for a reason; a happy Kirito is always a wonderful sight to behold for Asuna. Especially since he makes a point to always wear so much black.

"That's great, I'm really glad. I was thinking of going to the store, do you want anything?" He asks as he gets off the stool he was sitting on.

"Chocolate?"

He laughs, "But of course, I should have known." He says as he shoves his wallet in his pocket and grabs his keys before turning back to Asuna. "Don't do anything crazy, rash, or stupid while I'm gone." He states with a serious face.

Asuna frowns, "Yes ok _mom_." She responds sarcastically.

Kirito chuckles before heading to the door, all the while mumbling under his breath something that sounded vaguely like, "Wouldn't be the first time you did." With his hand on the door knob he turned one last time to glance at Asuna. "You'll be ok right? I mean-"

"Go Kirito." She cuts him off with a smile.

"Alright I'm going."

"Don't forget my chocolate!"

"Yes mam." He calls over his shoulder closing the door behind him, leaving Asuna officially alone to entertain herself.

She sighs as the thought of drinking brushes across her mind but she manages to fight off the temptation for the moment. If she drinks while he's grocery shopping again he will without a doubt never go again without dragging her along, and unless she's buying a boat load of junk food while she's there she has no interest in stepping foot in any grocery store. Shopping for food can be so boring.

Plopping down on the couch she attempts to find something on TV worthy of her attention for longer than five seconds and settles for some random chick flick. It's not like she has anything better to do with her life at the moment so she figures why not see if the cliché probably incredibly corny and stupid movie can manage to make her cry…

Forty minutes later the doorbell rings, and one teary eyed and annoyed Asuna swings open the door much to the person on the other side's alarm.

"Um…" the girl standing there begins hesitantly.

"Yes? This better be good because Landon was just about to kiss Jamie." Asuna cuts off as she wipes away a stray tear.

"Um…what?" the girl clearly confused stared at Asuna, looking both curious and slightly creeped out.

"It's nothing…nevermind. Just some movie I was watching." Asuna stated with a dismissive shake of her head and wave of her hand, like she's going to waste time to explain to this girl about a stupid movie that at the same time is almost adorable and incredibly depressing. She was not crying she was merely tearing up some…yep.

"Right, well I'm Suguha…" The girl begins with a strangely sly smile stretching over her face as she offers her hand to shake, Asuna raised an eyebrow…just a moment ago she looked so shy.

"Asuna, Nice to meet you" she answered back politely as she takes her hand in greeting for only a moment.

"It's nice to meet you as well." Suguha replied with that strange pleased smile still stretched across her face, "You wouldn't happen to be dating my brother would you?" the girl questioned obviously thrilled for the answer.

"Who?" Was all Asuna could think to say as she stared at the girl blankly. How was she supposed to even know who this stranger's brother was? Let alone be dating him…

"My brother Kazuto." Suguha's smile falters for only a moment at the supposed 'girlfriend' not having any clue as to who she was before it was back again in all its glory. 'They must not have been dating very long' she concludes to herself.

Asuna just stares at her blankly for almost a full minute before her eyes widened comically, "You're his sister?! He has a sister?!"

Suguha looks positively offended.

"He didn't tell you about me? Not even a little bit? How long have you two been dating?"

"Dating?"

"Yes."

"Eh?! I'm not dating Kirito!" Asuna practically yells in alarm.

"What?! Then why are you at his house? Answering his door?!" Suguha questions in similar panic.

"I live here!" Asuna shouts back with a hand pointing inside the house as if to demonstrate exactly what she means by the word 'here'.

"Why do you live here if you're not dating my brother?!"

"Um…"

Both girls whip their heads in the direction of the new voice which happened to be Kirito, groceries in hand and a fearful look across his face. He looks between the two girls for a moment before turning around to walk back to his car, "I'll just come back later." He states quickly and attempts to climb in the car and make his escape quickly; unfortunately for him both girls grab him by the arms before he can even close the door. He drops the groceries as he's dragged out of the driver's seat and back towards the door, to his growing horror.

Demanding answers and bombarding him with questions, they both seem equally pissed at not receiving such answers from the beginning. Poor Kirito can't even keep up.

"You have a sister?!"

"You have a girl living in your house?!"

"Why didn't you tell me this?!"

"As your sister I think I have a right to know when you're living with strange people!"

"Do you have any other family members I should know about?!"

"How long has she been living with you?!"

"Why didn't you tell me someone was even coming over?!"

"What is your relationship with this strange girl?!"

Somebody have mercy on this poor man's soul.

**…**

By some miracle Kirito had managed to calm the girls down, and answer all their questions.

Now at the current moment all three of them sat at the dinner table eating quietly as Kirito looks up at his sister with growing suspicion.

"So…why exactly are you here Suguha?" he questions as he takes another sip of his water.

"Can't a sister visit her brother without any particular reason?" Suguha responds offensively as she shoves her mouth full of food. For some reason a strange uncomfortable look passes across Kirito's face, but the expression was much too fleeting for Asuna to properly decipher.

"They can, but you never do." He answers simply with a roll of his eyes, completely at ease once again.

His sister sighed in defeat, "Mom wants me to tell you that she doesn't care if you don't want to go, you have to come and that's final. Her words not mine." Suguha answered as she meets her brothers annoyed scowl.

"I don't want to."

"Mom obviously doesn't care."

Kirito huffs in irritation.

"Um…what are you two talking about?" Asuna questions as she looks back and forth between the two siblings.

"We're talking about this family party that's coming up; there will be a bonfire and everything." Suguha answers with an excited smile. "Practically everyone in the family will be there."

"Oh, that sounds fun! What's the occasion?" Asuna continues to question excitedly, Kirito on the other hand just signs exasperatedly.

"Occasion? Who needs an occasion?"

"Normal people, Sugu." Kirito answers quietly as he stabs a poor little carrot with all the annoyance and wrath of the world.

"Why are you so annoyed? It sounds fun!" Asuna smiles, "Can I tag along?"

"Sure!" Suguha answers smiling brightly, "Just make sure brother doesn't run away from the party as soon as no one's looking."

"Will do!" Asuna confirms excitedly.

Kirito stabs another carrot, "I hate parties." He mumbles as he glares at both the girls as they completely ignore his new found depression.

**…**

**A/N: Ok so I know this chapter was a lot lighter than the last two, as will the next chapter be…probably…I might stray from my plans who knows. Anyway I did that to give you guys some comic relief. Can't have a story be nothing but dark dark dark… that's hardly realistic, life's a roller coaster it has both ups and downs.**

**Are you confused about Kirito's family? Good you're supposed to be. **

**Anyway hope you liked it, review if you have the time! Thanks for reading!**


End file.
